Donny Deutsch’s
Money-Talks Show
A synergistic strategy for success at CNBC?
CNBC recently replaced John McEnroe’s disastrous nightly talk show with buff ad guru Donny Deutsch’s somewhat more popular one, The Big Idea. As a TV personality, Deutsch has certainly exceeded expectations. But sources say the adman’s rise at CNBC may have as much to do with his synergistic skills
as with his ability to get a good interview out of Jenna Jameson. Since his show debuted in early 2004, he’s been running it like his own cable-access program, says
a source close to the host: wrangling advertisers from his client list and sometimes using his own money to up the budget “beyond what [CNBC] is willing to pay.” The source adds, “He’s not in this for the money, that’s for sure, and he’ll do anything to make it a success.” Deutsch sold his agency to Interpublic for $265 million in 2000,
though he still runs it. But Bob Meyers, CNBC senior VP of prime-time programming, responds, “Categorically false, full stop.” And a Deutsch rep concurs. “He’s not paying a dime,” he says. “Deutsch is making an average salary, and in terms of his own clients, one or two of them advertise, and it goes directly through CNBC.” —Jacob Bernstein